• Join TKE

• About TKE

• History

• Traditions

• TKE At a Glance

• Grand Council

• Educational Foundation

• More...

• Member Resources

• Academics

• Alumni Associations

• Career Center

• Chapter Operations

• Communications

• Conferences

• Expansion

• Finance

• Housing

• Multimedia

• Recruitment

• Risk Management

• Service

• Teke Speak

• Volunteers

• Alumni

• Alumni Associations

• Career Center

• Conferences

• Educational Foundation

• Give Now

• Volunteers

• Life Loyal Teke

• Shop TKE

• Contact Us

• Fraternity Staff

• Who To Contact

• Mailing Address

Home:Member Resources:Chapter Operations:Spirit of the Fraternity

Instructions

The Prytanis should select a Frater, in advance, to read this address to the Chapter, and allow him time to prepare. This will be read as part of the initiation of Candidates into the Bond. Use the latest "Spirit of the Fraternity Address" to update your celebration of the Fraternity. The contents of this address have private meaning, but are not secret. Keep this page in the Silver Book when not in use.

Spirit of the Fraternity Address

Mark K. Johnson
Grand Prytanis 2007-2009

Fraters and Candidates:

Today marks another milestone in the history of TKE as we assemble to initiate new men into our bond and celebrate their contributions to this great fraternity. It is indeed a time for celebration.

We celebrate our rich heritage as an organization. We celebrate the efforts of tens of thousands of Fraters that have brought us to this moment. And, we celebrate the bright future we will achieve, together, with the new Fraters who join our ranks today.

But it is also a time to pause and ask ourselves: "What next? What more? What else can I do to breathe life into an organization that has already given me so much?" The immediate answer, and task at hand, is Recruitment.

We now have the luxury, thanks to the great vision of the Venerable Grand Prytani that preceded me, of concentrating on Recruitment. Ten years ago, this Fraternity was on the brink of insolvency. Today I'm pleased to report that we're in the best financial shape we've ever seen. We also are blessed with increasing support from the TKE Educational Foundation, which is also performing better than ever before.

The bad news is that we've suffered two decades of flat or declining recruitment numbers with last year keeping us BARELY above 3,000.

The good news is that our house is, otherwise, in good order and we have a strong history of successful recruitment to look back on, indicating that we can once again and set a standard within the fraternal world.

We only have to look at our own history to see that we hit a peak of initiating 5,300 men per year versus our 3,000 last year. We once had more than 300 active groups versus about 260 today. Furthermore, we had a peak of 57 men average per group versus 33 today. At the risk of sounding trite, we don't have to be as good as anyone else… we simply have to be as good as "US". We need to get back to and ultimately exceed our former "high water marks," which incidentally were also, in many cases, record setters for the Greek world at large. We have a tradition of winning, one that is ours to regain and defend though the dedication of Fraters across the nation and the world.

I have every belief that we can rise again and exceed even our own expectations.

If you'll allow me a bit of rounding in the above numbers and also know that we didn't hit all of the cited high numbers at the same time, let's envision more than 300 groups with an average man count of 60. This, Fraters, results in a Grand Chapter of 18,000 men. If we figure a bit better retention than we have today, we'll need to initiate 5,500 men per year to sustain this.

Fraters, this is not an issue of ego. If numbers are all that drive us, it would be a hollow victory indeed.

Rather, this is an issue of service; of contributing all that we can to our Brotherhood, and by extension, the world. With more resources, we can provide better programming and help each of our Fraters have a better Teke experience. We can provide more scholarships, and keep the cost of membership down for more of our new members. I think that many of us are most proud of the assistance given to a young Frater at Eureka College. How different would our world be today if Frater Reagan had not had the support of some Fraters to assist him in his quest for a college degree? How many billions of people were touched by the visions of freedom that Frater Reagan dedicated his life to pursuing?

I can't tell you precisely how this money, if we earn it, will be used, but know that our Declaration of Principles will direct us to put our resources to work in a manner which will expand upon the abilities of each and every young man who enters our Bond. I also have no doubt that we have, or will have, another young man like the one who graduated from Eureka College, who will positively impact the lives of millions of his fellow men. It is indisputable that having twice the young men in our bond as we have today means that we are doubling the number of men who are willing to truly serve their fellow Fraters and look upon all men for their personal worth and character.

We have, for more than108 years, been blessed with a unique vision, given to us by our Founders and carefully continued under the stewardship of so many capable and dedicated Fraters who followed them. I am humbled to be a small part of this living and worthy vision and am genuinely excited to be on this team which has a focus and goal to grow to the largest Grand Chapter in our history, the result being the greatest number of men sharing our values and moving forward with them at a speed and in a masse never before witnessed.

Fraters, this is your purpose. This is your challenge…for this biennium and for life.

I wish you the greatest experiences as members of the world's largest and greatest fraternity.

I love the Fraternity,

Mark K. Johnson